Hollywood may beckon for hopeful SA artists | Maroela Media

The 21th World Championship for the Performing Arts recently in Long Beach Center for the Performing Arts in Los Angeles.South Africa will be represented by 63 hopeful and talented participants in several categories including dancing, singing, modeling, acting and instrumental. More than 60 countries have sent participants may come a step closer to the Hollywood dream.The championship in 1996 by Griff O’Neil, executive director of the Championships start, giving emerging artists of all ages the opportunity to compete at an international stage. The competition is considered the Olympics of the performing arts. Judges include experts and celebrities from Hollywood and in the course of the week visiting agencies competing to watch participants and possibly invite for further talks on a Hollywood career. Ruan Nel (Photo: Supplied)

Besides gold medals, silver and bronze medals to participants walk away with scholarships to study at famous drama and dance schools in Los Angeles and New York. From the participants’ success stories include roles in big Hollywood movies, record deals and stage performances. So Keiynan Lonsdale participated from Australia in 2007 and was recently seen as the character Wally West in the international television series The Flash .According to Dr. Ellen Roux, director of the South African Championship for Performing Arts, it is South Africa’s 20th year of participation after she obtained the license in 1997 to host the competition in South Africa.Roux has a great passion for the performing arts and the event was, according to her ideal to help emerging artists trying to make a reality the Hollywood and South African entertainment dream. There are a host of South African entertainers, TV presenters, singers and models who traveled with Roux over the years to Los Angeles to participate in the competition. Among those artists count Elizma Theron, Riaan Grobler Deànré Reiners, a former Miss. SA Cindy Nell, Carmen Pretorius and more recently the nine year old concertina player, Kosie Beukes, South Africans above had with his performance at the 2017 Ghoema music awards.Riaan Grobler (Photo: Supplied)

Participants in South Africa take on regional part in auditions and they qualify and are invited to enter the South African championship for performing arts that takes place in Gauteng. It should they qualify to be part of the South African team participating in the World Championship in Los Angeles in July.While the competition offers a tremendous opportunity to be recognized internationally, participants must pay for themselves traveling, accommodation, enrollment and spending money because the South African government does not financially support the performing arts.The first category of competition began, the self- vocal department and South Africa’s junior champion Ruan Nell (10) of Midrand, showed why he boasts that title. He had the audience going with his versions of “Fat bottomed Girls” by Queen and “Rhinestone Cowboy” and “Knocking on Heavens Door”.Although the South African team to focus on coming home with gold they first Los Angeles explored to get a taste of life in Hollywood. The famous Hollywood Walk of Fame was visited and most have only taken a photo at the South African-born Charlize Theron’s star. The next morning, some Los Angeles fashion district visit while others Disneyland attempted.The final gala concert will take place this coming Friday after the week’s competitions place and participants were handpicked to act on that night and during the award ceremony following Saturday morning.But for the next few days to focus on each participant she and her participation and to give a step in the direction of a career in Hollywood.Sharing: Good news

Riaan Grobler